Fix your audio drivers. Hardware problems can be caused by outdated or malfunctioning drivers. Make sure your audio driver is up to date and update it if needed. If that doesn't work, try uninstalling the audio driver (it will reinstall automatically).

Get started with Copilot. To get started, open the Copilot app from the Start menu or use the Copilot icon if present on your Windows taskbar. If your device keyboard includes a dedicated Copilot key, you can also use it to launch Copilot.

Manually update Surface drivers and firmware. Manual updates are useful if you need to update an offline device, update many devices that are all the same model, or if you’re creating system images for your organization.

Here's how to unblock your account. Note: If either your Outlook.com mailbox or your OneDrive storage is full, you cannot send or receive email. Check your Outbox or your mailbox storage to see what's taking up space. Learn more.

Record game clips and take screenshots. While you’re playing a game, press the Windows logo key + G to open Game Bar. Choose Widget Menu > Capture. Choose Start recording, Take screenshot, or Record last…. Record last… turns the most recent moments of play into a game clip when background recording is turned on.

Booting from a USB device doesn’t refresh or reset your Surface. Instead, it lets you start your Surface using Windows or another operating system that’s on your USB device. For info about how to create a bootable USB drive for your Surface, see Creating and using a USB recovery drive for Surface.

For Windows 8.1, see Create a USB recovery drive. To download Windows 11 installation media, see Recovery options in Windows. Create a recovery drive so you can reinstall Windows 10 or Windows 11 in case you experience a major issue such as hardware failure.

Add an app to run automatically at startup in Windows 10. Select the Start button and scroll to find the app you want to run at startup. Right-click the app, select More, and then select Open file location. This opens the location where the shortcut to the app is saved.

Virtualization lets your PC emulate a different operating system, like Android™ or Linux. Enabling virtualization gives you access to a larger library of apps to use and install on your PC. If you upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on your PC, these steps will help you enable virtualization.

Wired connections: Activate and use any wired connections, including Ethernet, USB, and Serial communications between your device, the internet, and other devices. Learn how to locate and manage your app permissions on Windows devices. Some apps or games need specific permissions to work properly.